Heritage day

I highly doubt the A stock will be scrapped (Can't state my reasons online) any time soon, but with the conversion with two D stock trains to RAT duties who knows.

Would expect the 2 D stock RATs to be for the west & east ends of the District.

I have heard that the A stock rats are to be replaced with D stock as they are mechanically much more sound.

D Stock to replace the MET A Stock.
District doesn't really require dedicated RAT train, has coped ok without!

2 further D Stock 'trains' to be kept for ERU use.

Hope the jackpot's big, as you'll need your own private siding to store it as well!

Can't see any A stock being retained for heritage operations, purely because there are so many issues to overcome, least of all where would it be stored? Acton is already too full to take any more full length trains. That means you're either looking at storing and maintaining it at an operational LU depot (and I can't imagine that going down well) or as I said someone buying them for several million and storing them at their own private siding!

I thought that there is a 4 car unit of 1962 tube stock at Hainault, even tho' its privately owned?

Am I right?

If so, could this set a precedent for the A stock?

I suppose what is less likely to happen is that they get shipped off to a heritage railway for use as unpowered towed carriages.  Reasons would include their not being designed for such use and the issue of powered sliding doors... neither of which affected most of the trains they replaced 50+ years ago.

Simon

Also don't forget the 1960 Stock kept at Northfields. I will play the role of the optimist and say that at least one working unit would be retained, the A Stock did have a following unlike any other stock in recent history (the C Stock for example), no offence to any prjb's present.

I'm glad this issue came up on here.

Who else remember in the A stock withdrawals thread from 2012 all the talk about one 4 car set being kept as a heritage train? Can't remember who it was but it was somebody who was in the know who said it. Both 5110 and 5234 were to be used as the Met RATs with the Rail Adhesion car being taken out of the set when the train would be used as a heritage train. 5112 at Acton Works acting as a body spare in case anything happaned to 5110 or 5234 so the future looked bright for a full train of A stock to be kept for future generations.

Recent talk however, (those on the London Underground & Overground enthusiasts group on Facebook will have seen) seems to suggest they will be scrapped after the Ds take over. Even though I'm sure I remember 5234 had a full mechanical overhaul after being withdrawn from regular passenger service?

Please, somebody comfirm what's going on!

Talking of saving trains, does anyone know what happened to the T-stock cars that were for sale. I hope there's some way that they can be restored, and maybe the guys planning on renovating the D stock could figure out a way of installing a Ford transit engine and generator under one of the T cars.

Would I be correct in thinking that the 1960 Stock train is owned by the Cravens Group? If that is so and bearing in mind that the A60's were built at Cravens in Sheffield would this group have any plans to add one of the 4-Car A Stocks to its operation?

It would be a great shame to miss the opportunity to keep one of these sets operational. It would provide additional interest to the 38 Stock train and 'Sarah Siddons' excursion held from time to time on the Met Line. In years to come I am sure we would regret that no attempt was made to keep one of these Underground icons running from time to time. The Rickmansworth Canal Festival in May 2013 was a great weekend with both 5110 and the 38 Stock running between Harrow and Amersham.

To take the discussion one stage further would anyone be interested in forming a group with the aim of keeping one of these units running. What would the potential costs be? What difficulties would need to be overcome i.e. secure storage, maintenance, certification to be able to operate and in the future with automatic signalling. Is anyone interested or are there already any groups interested in this.